Filing device



SCPL 3, l92'9- R. J. KEAYs Er AL Re. 17,421 Y FILING DEVICE Original Filed Sept. 9, 192

\ I)INI/ENTO. ROBERT KEA-Y EawARn l. corr-EY.

' ATTORNEYS.

Reissued Sept. 3, 1929.`

' UNITED STAT Ess Re. 17,421 l PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT .1. KEAYs AND EDWARD I. corrngor SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFoRNrA.

FILING DEVILCE.

original No. 1,645,696, dated This invention relates to filing devices` for the reception, segregation or classification of letters,bills, prints, papers, documents, etc., in accordance with methods now largely employed in commercial establishments; the invention relating particularly `to aliling `clamp for the reception of papers segregated or otherwise which may be used in conjunc tion with standard filing systems such as filing i cabinets, books, etc.

The objectof the present inventionl is to generally improvevand simplify the construction and operation of liling devices of1 they character described; to provide a filingdc'vice which may be readily detached or replaced in be quickly removed or reinserted as the case may be.

The invention isshown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front view of the filing device, said view being partly broken away and partly in section,

Figure`2 is a central section of the upper portion of the lingdevice, i

Figure 3 is a longitudinal `section taken on the line III-III of Figure l,

Figure 4 is a cross-section taken on the line IV--IV of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a cross-section taken on `the line V-V of Figure l; i The filing device illustrated in this instance maybe used inl conjunction with a number of' standard filing systems already in use, buit it is essential that the cabinet, book, drawer., le or other container employed be provided with parallel posts, rods, wiresv or` the like to receive and retain the filing device forming. y

` as to assume the depressed position. shown the subject matter of the present invention.

For purposes ofdescription, let it be assumed that al tiling cabinet is employed and that itis providediwith two parallel rods in its upper portion which extend from the front to the rear `thereof and that the fdingdevice is suspended from said rods `and is slidable from end to end thereof and further that the papers or othcrmatter liled are, in turn, suspended from the filing device.

i In the drawings A indicates the rods and B indicates, in general, the tiling device. The

vertical longitudinal.v

0ctober`25, 1927, Serialf'No. 134,421, led September 9, 1926. Application. for reissue filed June 19,1928. Serial No. 286,661.

`filing device consists-of a back plate 2y con` structed of sheet-metal or the like which is bent at right-angles, as indicated'at 3 and then downwardly across the front of the back plate, as indicated at 4. lA space 5 is formed between the front platey 4 and the rear plate 2 and this space formslahousing for a pair of latches 6, an actuating bar 7 anda spring 8. 'lheupper edges of thel plates 2`and lare recessed or" notched as indicated at C. The upperportion of each notch is inclined as indicated at 9, the notch then being horizontally extendedfasat 10. The latches 6 normally assume. the position shown in Figure l where they close the opening formed by the notches.

They may be depressed, as shown in Figure 2,

to open the notches so as to permitremoval or replacementof the tiling device on the rods A. The latches 6 arel pivotally mounted as at l1 betweenuthe front and rear plates 2 and 4 and theyare. pivotally connected with the y operating bar7 through pins l2. The bar 'I itself is nothing more on less than a flat elongatedstrip. of inetal disposed between the front and rearplates and carrying a pin 13 which is engaged lby the spring '8. This spring is nothing more: or less than a piece of springrwire. coiledfabout a'pin 8a and having its lower end engagingthe pin l3so as to exert pressure in the direction of arrow d.

The operating bar isifreely slidable between the front and rear plates of the filing device and the tension of the spring 8 will, there* fore, normally maintainthe bar in the "position shown in Figure l and the latches in their closed` position..` One end of thehar projects outwardly between the plates 2 and 4 into yposition to` bev engaged by thev finger of an operator. A slight pressureon the projecting endy 7a o the `bar :forces it inwardly against the` tension ofthe spring 8 and as it is pivotally connected` with the latches 6, these `will be swung about their; pivots ll soy in Figure 2, thereby leaving the notches open forremoval of the filing device, `with relation to the rods. 'w i The part yof the mechanism sov arde` scribed is only for the purpose of `attaching or removing the filing "device with vrelation to the rods. The filing device is also provided .with a clamp for securing `papers or ,other f matter to be filed and classified. The paper-` securing means is an elongated spring clamping bar generally indicated at D; It is preferably constructed of spring steel, the center portion being longitudinally corrugated and also bowed upwardly transversely as shown at 15 to maintain that portion rigid and straight. The ends indicated at 16 and 17 are, however, flexible, and a bending or yielding movement is thereby obtained to permit a smaller or larger number of papers to be grasped and clamped thereby/.N One end of the clamping member by which the papers are secured to the back plate 2 is slotted as at 18 and a hinge is formed at this point by a bent lug 19 forming apart of the back plate.

The clamping plate D may be swung about the lug 19 as indicated by dotted lines at 2O in Figure 3 and it may also be swung downwardly on the lug 19, due to the size of the slot 18 as indicated by dotted lines at 21 (see lligure 1). The back plate 2 as already stated, is provided with one side lug 19 Vwhich is bent to form a hinge for the clamping plate and it is also provided with another side lug as indicated at 22 which is bent to form' a retaining latch for the opposite end of the clamp. The cooperating end of the clamp D is slightly recessed at 23 to maintain engagement with the latch or lug when the parts are in registry as in Figure 1.A y

In actual operation, if it is desired to-attach a number of papers to the filing device, here shown, it is only necessary to apply pressure to the end 17l of the clamping bar D. This depresses the end'17 with relation to the retaining latch 22 and it may thus be swung downwardly to assume the dotted-line position shown at 22. From this position, it may be raised above the retaining latch 22 and swung back about the hinge or lug 19 as shown by dotted lines 20, in Figure 3. One or more papers, such as indicated at 25, may then be placed on the back plate, as shown in Figures 1 and 4 and these are secured by swinging the clamping plate D back against the plate 2 to assume the full-line position, as shown in Figure 3. The end 17 is then depressed and swung under the retaining latch 22. The spring action of the ends 16 and 17 causes the corrugated central portion 15 ot the clamp to securelyk engage the papers and retain them against accidental removal. When the papers have been attached and it is desired to place the filing device in the cabinet,

it is only necessary to bring the ling device or the notches O into registry with the rods A.

If a slight upward pressure is exerted on the filing device,` at this point, the latches 6 are depressed and b v forcing the filing device slightly sideways the rods A will enter the horizontal portions 10 of the notches and the latches will automatically spring back into place. On the other hand, if it is desired to remove the tiling device together with the papers suspended .therefrom or attached` be taken out of the cabinet.

Either application or removal of the iiling device is thus quickly and readily assured. A number of these tiling devices may be placed on the rods A and proper segregation Aor classification for practically any matter to be tiled, may be obtained.

W'hile certain features of the present invention are more or less specifically described, we wish it understood that various changes may be resorted to from time to time within the scope of the appended claims. Similarly that the design and finish of the several parts employed may be such as the manufacturer may dictate or varying conditions or uses may demand.

Having thus described our invention, what we. claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A device of the character described, comprising a plate having a pair of notches formed in one edge, a pair of latches pivotally mounted on the plate, a sliding bar mounted on the plate, a connection between each latch and the bar whereby movement of the bar will swing' the latches about their pivots into and out of registry with the notches, a spring engaging the bar and normally maintaining the latches in a position in registry with the notches to close the same, and a projection on the bar whereby it may be engaged and manually moved to swing' the latches out of registry with the notches.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a plate having a pair of notches formed in one edge, a pair of latches pivotally mounted on the piate, means whereby the latches are yieldingly and normally held in a position to close the notches, and a paper clamping member on the plate.

3. A device of the character described comprising a plate having a notch formed in one edge thereof. a latch pivotally mounted on the plate, a sliding bar mounted on the plate, a connection between the latch and the bar whereby longitudinal movement of the bar will swing the latch about its pivot into and out of register with the notch, a spring engaging the bar and normally maintaining the the notch.

ROBERT J. KEAYS. EDWARD I. OOFFEY. 

